Race Day!!!!

I woke up at 5:30 am and cried "It's freakin' raining". Evil Eva pulled the covers over my head and tried to go back to sleep....but some lil voice (not sure who's it was) kept saying...."Ya got to get up...no matter what, you are going to do this race...what's a lil rain to a die hard runner like you?" So I crawled out of bed and started to get dressed...only changed my mind on what to wear 3 times (that's good for me)...packed a bag with dry clothes & a towel just in case the rain didn't stop...got my snacks (clemetines, almonds & a protien bar) ready with my water...Drank my protein drink, took my supplements & vitamins...
Around 6:20 #1 Niece calls to let me know that she will be driving since we have to drop her kids off at their Grandma's...which is definatetly alright with me...I really don't know my way around downtown Atlanta at all..and hate driving in the rain...
We discuss whether the race will be called off due to the rain & lightning but decide to go anyway and hope that the rain would pass over that area.
Which it did by the time we got the kids to where they needed to be, drove into town (about a 30-40 min drive) and found parking (which only took 20 mins)... it was still cold (46 degrees) but at least the rain had stopped...
We got our numbers and did some stretching, after I went to the potty in the grossiest bathrooms...no running water....we go to the start area and that's when I hear the announcement that due to some construction they have changed the route..."Oh great...there goes my PLAN". Here I thought I was sooo smart this time figuring out just how far I had to push myself by looking at the map...now here I am AGAIN not knowing where I am in the race and how much further I have to go...So I do a quick adjustment of "the Plan" and decided that I will try to push for running without walking for at least 25 mins (on our Sunday runs it usually 20 -23 mins to the big incline that I'm trying to push past so I figure this is a good time to go for and that I should be able to do it). I look around at the crowd that's running and realize that the majority of runners are in their early 20 & 30's very few peoples my age....
The run starts out good... a nice flat run with some small inclines but nothing major..I pulled out in front of #1 Niece immediately and got a good stride going...I felt good running...the only thing that was really cold on me was my face since I was wearing my BIG Baggy Warm fleece jacket.. at about 20 mins into the race my legs started to burn and I started to get this pain in my forhead, I figured it was from the cold wind blowing into my face...I see this big LONG incline ahead and try to push myself up it...I get to half way when the pain in my head is getting soo bad that I decide to try walking a little to see if that lessens it..I walk for about 30 seconds and it does help...so pick it back up again and for the rest of the race walked only when the pain gets too bad, then walked until it lessened and then ran again...did this about 3 times...
I tell myself that I am going to end this race running and since I'd been running for 25 mins figured that I must be coming to the end soon...so I really started pushing myself to run telling myself that I can do this......When I see this nice long decline (about a 1/4 of a mile) and at the bottom there is time board....I start to sprint. I see the time on it at 31:48 and I know that I don't want to see 32:00 so I put on the speed with everything I've got and I made it in 31:58...so altho I didn't make my Plan of running for 25 mins (I walked at 23 mins) I did better my time...
I started to walk back to find #1 Niece and she was at the top to the hill getting ready for the decline...I stood there cheering her on...she didn't do as good as she wanted but I'm still proud of her...Hey she ran and finished...that's a big one to me...
We walked back to where you turn in your time and I saw that there was only one other slip in the box for my age group so knew that I would be getting another Plaque or award for my wall....Grabbed a banana and passed up the Cinnamon Rolls (altho it was a real temptation) and we stood around for the drawing of door prizes...It was my lucky day ...they drew my number and I got a gift certificate for Barnes & Noble (YAY!!!)...Then they started handing out the placques and imagine my surprize when I got 1st in my age group...I tried to act humble...but damn..I've run in 5 races now and have placed 1st in 2 and 2nd in 1...I guess I have to quit saying it's just luck or that it's only because there isn't many women who run in my age group....hey...face it I AM GOOD....yes. I do have a big head over this one....
tried to post some pictures but had some trouble....will try later